


The Burden of the Crown

by ThatHalGuy



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Hal is human, Kingdomstuck, M/M, more characters tba - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-25 03:46:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12027441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatHalGuy/pseuds/ThatHalGuy
Summary: Derse and Prospit haven't been on good terms for decades. But with the crowning of new royalty, and the rising struggles of a kingdom, it may be time to set aside pride and leave superstitions behind for the sake of prosperity.Jake must learn that his fears are unfounded.Dirk must learn how to handle politics to avoid all-out war.





	1. Crowning a Prince

**Author's Note:**

> Kingdomstuuuuck. I would get here eventually. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's medieval shit. Kinda grew up with it.
> 
> Updates will be sporadic, chapters will be widely differing lengths. More of the usual.

They said that to know the true weight of the crown, one had to wear it. Dirk hadn’t realized what that meant until he found himself sat upon the throne with the circlet of silver upon his head. Draped in lavish purple, looking down upon the crowd that knelt before him, he heard the herald call out, and the mass responded.

_ All hail the Crowned Prince of Derse. Long live Prince Dirk. _

The words echoed down to his soul in haunting chorus, and he clenched his hands on the arms of the throne. He didn’t remember most of the ceremony, and he was relieved to finally collapse onto a far less formal chair in his room, tossing the crown carelessly onto the table. He sighed heavily, covering his eyes with his hand, trying to process everything.

“You should take better care of your crown.” A voice similar to his own kept him from brooding, and he lifted his head, regarding the red-eyed man that had sauntered in behind him, breastplate proudly emblazoned with the royal crest. The rest of his armor was accented with red, and Dirk noted that in the firelight the accents looked more like blood than metal.

“Forgive me for not laying it upon a silk pillow on a pedestal.” Dirk answered sarcastically, watching the other pick up the silver circlet and examine the amethysts set in the points, “What do you want, Dave?” The red-eyed knight set the crown down again and leaned against the table, shrugging,

“Am I not allowed to check on my dearest brother?” He gave a sardonic grin, and Dirk rolled his eyes, “You looked pretty tense, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Dirk grimaced, reaching up to start undoing the silver clasps keeping him trapped in layers of silk, peeling off the stuffy fabric. Dave stepped closer to help him out of the outfit.

“I am not wearing this much cloth ever again.” Dirk grumbled, breathing in relief when the air reached his skin through the final shirt. He relaxed once he was left in the plain white shirt and his pants. He kicked off his shoes, stretching languidly, and Dave absently tossed the discarded shirts at the foot of his bed,

“You might have to. News will spread about your coronation, and you know how whiny the Sun King can be.” Dirk groaned covering his face with his hands. He knew, god he knew. Their brother, the late Prince, had received a garishly golden envelope bearing the crest of their neighboring kingdom, Prospit, questioning why he had not been invited to his coronation. He had replied that he had not wanted to trouble the king with leaving his shining city, but Dirk knew the real reason. There had always been tension between the two kingdoms, and there was no reason to invite an argument to his court. Dirk had similarly neglected to invite the Prospitian royalty, and was not looking forward to receiving his own letter of barely-disguised passive-aggressive complaining.

“God, it’s like he wants a war, but is too cowardly to throw the first punch because he wants to blame it on us.” Stupid king. Just because he had heard of Derse magic, he had apparently labeled them as witches and demon-dealers, and refused to change his mind. Dirk shook his head and stood up, “What do you say to sparring me to exhaustion so I don’t have to think about it yet?” Dave smiled at his brother, and nodded,

“It would be my honor,  _ Your Highness _ .” Dirk snorted at his teasing tone, and shoved him a little before heading into the hall.

Sparring always helped them relax. It was hard to focus on worries when you had to keep a blade from finding your flesh. Most of the soldiers balked at the idea of fighting the royal siblings with sharp swords instead of their blunted training blades. Dirk didn’t bother asking them any more. Dave was Captain of his guard, and they had sparred as they grew up, so he could fight Dave without holding back. They sparred for a good hour, but Dave finally yielded, breathless and sweating. He had abandoned his armor before the fight, and now it was almost impossible to tell the brothers apart besides their eye colors.

“Well, I feel better.” Dave panted, falling on his back in the grass, looking to his sibling, “You?” Dirk shrugged, equally breathless as he sat beside Dave,

“Yeah. Nothing like beating your ass to ease stress.” They both laughed, taking a few moments to catch their breath before heading back inside to change into fresh clothes. Dirk bypassed any of the fancier clothes, choosing a simple purple shirt accented with a lighter shade and lined with silver trim. He appreciated the dark shades of Derse, it was easier on the eyes while still being striking, far better than the bold yellows of Prospit. The crescent moon countered the bright sun of their neighbor, and while they may be called suspicious for their use of magic, he found Dersites far more welcoming people than the few Prospitians he had seen growing up. Shaking his thoughts off, he straightened his shirt and headed out to face a day of advisors and paperwork. There was a lot to be done for a newly crowned Prince.


	2. How to Address Royalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When speaking to the ruler of a kingdom, one must show the proper respect. Especially if they aren't on good terms.

Weeks passed, and Dirk found himself lounging on the throne as his advisors droned on about politics and the needs of the country. He rested his head in his palm, watching them read from stacks of papers and wishing they would just _shut up_ . The older ones were so _boring_ to listen to. The doors opened slightly, and Dirk’s gaze flicked up, pulling himself into an upright position at the familiar face of his youngest brother. The advisor kept talking, but Dirk ignored him as the blond shut the doors and made his way across the grand hall.

“Hal.” Dirk acknowledged, cutting of the old man’s speech, and the whole group turned, parting for the youngest of the royal family. One began to protest,

“Your Highness, we were in the middle of-”

“Hal would not interrupt without good reason.” Dirk said sharply, and the man cowed under his burning orange gaze, falling silent. The young teen ascended the steps to his throne, dropping into a little bow before digging something out of his pouch,

“One of the birds brought this.” He explained, and Dirk raised an eyebrow at the white envelope decorated with gold,

“From Prospit.” He said, taking the letter and reading the gold calligraphy, “ _To the King of Derse_.” He snorted, turning it over to break the wax seal, “And they call themselves the City of Brilliance.” Hal perched on the arm of the throne, leaning close to read with Dirk.

_Your Majesty,_

_We would like to send our condolences for the passing of your father, and congratulate you on your coronation. We understand that relations between us have been tense in the past, and we understand your choice in not inviting us to the ceremony. However, we are writing to you in hopes that we may bridge the gap between us._

_Our kingdom has found itself in need of assistance. Our harvests have been lacking, and we find ourselves facing the looming threat of invasion. We would be willing to meet either an ambassador, or yourself if you would be so gracious as to lend your aid. We can discuss what we may offer in return for your assistance, though we do not have much at the moment._

_Respectfully,_  
_Jane Crocker_  
 _Queen of Prospit_

Dirk read it over a couple times, then glanced up at Hal, who could barely contain an amused smile.

“There is a lot wrong with that first part.” He admitted, giggling a bit, “But incorrect ideas aside, what should we do?” Dirk put the letter back in its envelope and thought for a moment,

“Well, if they do want to talk, I will respond.” He glanced at his advisors, who still hovered around expectantly, “You,” he pointed to one of the oldest, “what do we know Prospit has that we do not?” The man fumbled a bit, clearing his throat,

“W-well, Your Highness, they grow a few different crops, and mine gemstones we don’t have.” Dirk hummed thoughtfully, then stood up, waving his hand,

“You are all dismissed. We will continue this later.” With that, he turned and headed to a personal room connected to the throne room, Hall following at his side,

“That’s not a lot, really.” He commented, and Dirk shrugged,

“We haven’t been on good terms with them for years. Our knowledge of them is as limited as theirs of us. I mean, last I’d heard, Jane was still a princess, not a queen.” Hal laughed a little, occupying a chair as Dirk settled before his formal stationary, selecting a purple sheet of paper and silver ink,

“Looks like skipping coronation guests is a trend.” Hal mused, playing with a black quill. Dirk hummed, pondering over how he would respond, “You should make sure they won’t attack us when we cross the border.” Dirk nodded and began writing.

* * *

“Your Majesty!” Jake looked up from the chess game he was playing with his cousin, Jane sitting up a little straighter,

“Yes?” Jake caught sight of the deep purple envelope in the messenger’s hand, and sat up too,

“You have a letter from Derse.” Jane snatched the envelope, and Jake leaned across the table to read with her.

_Your Majesty, Sun Queen,_

_Congratulations on your own coronation. We are more than happy to extend an olive branch to you and end the tension between us, but we require your word that we will not be seen as a threat upon visiting your shining city. We wish only for hospitality, not hostility._

_Upon receiving this promise, we shall make our way to Prospit to discuss the matter more fully and see what we can do to assist you._

_Sincerely,_  
_Dirk Strider_  
 _Prince of Derse_

“Prince?” Jake asked curiously, “The prince responded, but not the king?” Jane frowned a little, but sighed,

“It will have to do. We can’t afford to be picky right now.” She stood up, squaring her shoulders, “Come on, Jake. We need to answer and make preparations.” Jake bit his lip, but got up anyway. They had only heard stories of Derse from Jane’s father. Now they would find out if they were really witches.


	3. Meeting the Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To decide what is best for the kingdom, one must make sacrifices. Dirk is ready to offer what he can.

Dirk watched as the carriage was loaded, nodding to himself. They were almost ready to go. Dave came up beside him, and they shared a look,

“And you’re sure you want to go in person? Why not Rose, or…?” Dirk shook his head,

“We’re meeting the queen, it’s only fair that leaders speak to leaders, rather than proxies.” Dave had no argument, but did slip a knife into Dirk’s belt,

“Just in case.” He insisted, and Dirk smiled, appreciating his brother’s concern. The rest of the guard finished packing, and Dirk stepped toward the carriage, pausing and looking back at his siblings,

“Rose,” she tilted her head slightly, “keep an eye on everything while I’m gone.” She smiled and nodded,

“You’ll be fine, Dirk. Don’t worry.” She assured, and he smiled. Provided nothing unexpected happened, he could relax with her prediction. He climbed into the carriage, and Dave got in after him, tapping on the wall to tell the driver to go. It would be a long trip.

Dirk leaned closer to the window, seeing the golden towers approaching along the horizon. Dave looked out the other side as Dirk’s gaze drifted to the fields, the simply-dressed people pausing their work to watch the purple carriage pass by. The crops did look scarce in comparison to Derse. He pitied them for not seeking help from the sprites.

“I never thought they were actually made of gold.” Dave mused, and Dirk laughed,

“They aren’t. The yellow stones just look like gold in the sun.” Dave looked a little disappointed, but kept looking at the structures. They passed into the city, and Dirk saw the abrupt change in outfits. The people here dressed in so many bright blues and yellows, as if in a festival. The people parted like a river around them, gaping at the dark carriage that cut through their shining streets. The walls around the castle were high, but the gate was wide open, allowing them to pass without resistance. Once they came to a stop, Dirk stretched, popping his back to relieve some tension.

“We’ve got a welcoming committee.” Dave said, still looking out the window, “I see six guards and one lanky guy. Looks like he might be royal family.” Dirk met his eyes, and nodded, Dave getting out first, Dirk following after squaring his shoulders and setting his face in his best regal look. They approached the man, who offered a warm smile, bowing,

“Welcome to Prospit. I am Jake.” Dirk looked him over, his stunning green eyes, tanned skin, and messy black hair, then allowed a small smile of his own,

“Thank you. I am Dirk, Prince of Derse.” Jake glanced at Dave, and then the carriage, then back to Dirk,

“You have… limited protection for one worried about being threatened.” Dirk smiled wider in amusement,

“Your queen promised no harm would come to me. It would be rude not to trust her, don’t you think? Besides,” He glanced at Dave, who smirked back, “Dave is more than capable of handling anything that may happen.” Jake’s eyebrows drew together, and Dirk guessed he was doubting the statement, but he brushed it aside,

“Her Majesty is waiting for you.” Jake turned, and Dirk followed, Dave at his side. Inside was filled with brightly colored tapestries, as well as golden banners of Prospit’s Sun crest. The complete lack of dark colors was strange to Dirk. Yes, a bold color was nice now and then, but sometimes it needed a dark balance. They entered a grand hall, and Dirk raised an eyebrow at how the elaborate decorations doubled here. It was almost  _ too _ grand for a throne room, and yet seated on the golden structure was a dark-haired woman in what had to be the largest gown he’d ever seen. He could only imagine how suffocating that much fabric was.

“The Prince of Derse, Dirk Strider.” Jake announced as they neared the throne, and Dirk bowed to the woman before meeting her sky-blue eyes,

“Your Majesty.” She nodded in acknowledgement, her posture so stiff that her regal demeanor seemed forced.

“Welcome, Your Highness. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. Forgive me if we intruded on the grieving of your father’s passing.”

“Brother.” Dirk corrected, and she stopped, looking taken aback,

“Excuse me?” Dirk smiled slightly,

“There are a few things I would like to correct, if I may. There is no king of Derse. I am Crowned Prince, and the late Prince was my older brother.” He set his hands behind his back, “We haven’t been on good terms for a while, I understand the lack of knowledge on both sides.” Jane’s dark skin tinted pink, but Dirk remained calm, “But now that I am here, I hope we can understand each other better.”

“Yes… Well.” She cleared her throat awkwardly, “My condolences for your brother.” Dirk shrugged it off,

“Thank you. We had our time to mourn.” Jane nodded, and then sobered,

“Now then, I’m sure you saw the state of our fields.” Dirk nodded, “We have been struggling to grow enough crops to feed everyone, and with the limited resources, the savages of Alternia have been encroaching our borders.” Dirk raised an eyebrow at that. Alternia? The empire encompassed the eastern lands, already massive, and was now setting its sights on Prospit? “Our armies are limited. Most of our people work the land or a trade. We can’t easily train them as soldiers.” Dirk hummed thoughtfully, considering the options.

“We could offer some protection to your borders.” He offered, and Jane relaxed a little, “And we can share some of our surplus crops until you’re back on your feet.” She finally cracked a smile, sighing quietly,

“Thank you. Now, I promised you something in return, here is a small sample of what we can offer.” She gestured, and a servant approached with a tray of items, Dave shifting slightly closer to get a look. Spices, fabrics, and gemstones seemed to be the main things they had. Dirk felt the fabric, considering it, but his eye was drawn to the gemstones. There was a wide variety, and all of them would prove useful to his people.

“Tell me, what do you use these stones for?” He asked, glancing up at Jane. She shrugged dismissively,

“Decoration, mostly. Some are pretty common in our mines, so we don’t hold much value in them.” Dirk smiled, sharing a look with Dave before looking at the queen again,

“A share of your gemstones in return for a share of our crops.” He declared, and she nodded,

“Thank you, Your Highness. If you will allow it, I must ask that an ambassador of Prospit be involved with the distribution of crops and soldiers. I’m sure you understand that we want our best interests addressed.” Dirk smiled at her,

“Of course, Your Majesty. We will provide only the finest hospitality to our guest.” Jane nodded, her gaze shifting,

“Jake,” The man jumped slightly, looking up in surprise, “you will be our ambassador.” His mouth fell open, and he sputtered for a moment,

“Wh-what? Me? Jane, you can’t be serious!!” He protested, stepping forward, “I can’t-”

“You are by my side for most of my decisions, Jake. You know as well as I do what is best for Prospit.” Jane cut him off firmly, her gaze hard, “I need someone I can trust to do this.” Jake’s shoulders slumped a bit, but he bowed anyway,

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He answered quietly, but Dirk could tell he was upset. The prince straightened up, squaring his shoulders,

“I shall return home, then. I will prepare a room in the castle for him, and await his arrival. Once he is safely with us, we will begin the trade.” Jane nodded, and Dirk bowed to her, turning to leave. Dave stuck close to his side, shutting the doors behind them.

“He’s nervous.” Dave murmured, “Never left Prospit before, I’d guess. Might take him a while to settle in.” Dirk hummed, relaxing his posture,

“I pity him. He’s definitely family, I can’t imagine this will be easy on either of them.”


	4. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake struggles with self-doubt and a fear of what he may find.
> 
> Dirk just wants to offer the best hospitality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These split chapters are... Weird to me. I usually stick to one person's view, so writing two is kinda throwing me off. But I can work with it. Learning!

Jake stared out the window at the deep purple carriage retreating through the street. What was Jane thinking, sending _him_ to Derse?! How could he be expected to make such big decisions on his cousin’s behalf?! Jane had it hard enough making decisions for the whole kingdom, now he had to make decisions that would determine how well they kept Alternia from ransacking them? On where best to send crops? He couldn’t exactly just say everywhere! Jake groaned, gripping his hair and beginning to pace. This was going to end horribly, he just knew it. He didn’t want to go.

“Jake?” He turned, meeting Jane’s worried face and sighing heavily,

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Jane? I mean… Why not one of your advisors?” She gave him a gentle smile, taking his hands,

“Do you really think I can trust some old codger with an army? Or to know what can grow in our fields?” He shook his head reluctantly, “I know you can do this, Jake. You were always the one to run off on adventures, to join a hunting party at the drop of a hat. You know the land better than I do at this rate.” He sighed, slumping his shoulders,

“It’s just… You remember Uncle’s stories about Derse. It’s hard not to think of those now.” Jane snorted, rolling her eyes,

“Come on, Jake. I’m pretty sure Father’s stories were made up just to scare us. There’s no way they are _actually_ possessed by demons.” Jake frowned a little, looking away,

“The Prince’s guard had red eyes, Jane. _Red._ That’s not natural. And he sounded so confident that _one guy_ could protect him from anything. If that doesn’t sound like he made a deal with something demonic, I don’t know what does.” Jane sighed, moving to settle beside him,

“Jake, I know you’re nervous about this, but you’ve gotta have a bit more faith. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for it.” Jake wasn’t too sure, but Jane was right. He shouldn’t hold onto such prejudice when he was going to be living with them. He took a deep breath, sighing and squaring his shoulders.

“Right. I can’t be so harsh toward our new allies. For Prospit’s sake.” Jane smiled, nodding,

“That’s the spirit. Now, let’s get you ready for the trip.”

* * *

“Hwhaaaaaaat?” Dirk rolled his eyes at his sister, “You mean to tell me that while I was gone, we made an alliance with Prospit, _and_ visited their castle, _and_ are gonna be hosting one-a the royal family?” She gaped a little bit before throwing her arms wide, “What the fuck! I was only gone for, like, a week!”

“Yes, it’s been a very busy week. Now if you’re quite done, Roxy, I have preparations to make.” Dirk said calmly, and she pouted, following after him,

“What’s he gonna do here, anyway? Couldn’t we just have some of the birds survey everything and decide based on that?” Dirk shrugged,

“That had been my original plan, but the Sun Queen wanted an ambassador to make sure supplies were distributed correctly.” He explained, walking down one of the many halls of his castle and stopping by a door, glancing around. It should be easy for him to find his way around from here. Dirk opened the door and stepped into the room. There was too much dust in it right now, but he’d ensure it was cleaned up before the man arrived. Nodding to himself, he stepped out again,

“How long has it been since we used that room?” Roxy asked, eying the layer of grey before the door shut,

“Doesn’t matter. Have some of the servants clean it up. Replace the sheets, make sure the fireplace is ready, everything. I won’t have our guest wallowing in dust.” Roxy gave a mock salute and jogged ahead of him, vanishing down the hall. He took a different direction, descending steps to the kitchens, the cooks pausing to bow to him,

“Your Highness, it’s an honor.” Dirk smiled at them,

“We’re going to be housing a guest soon. Be sure to make enough to feed an extra mouth.” The head cook laughed, grinning broadly,

“I could feed all of Derse if I had to!” Dirk smiled at him, nodding and heading back out. He needed to make sure his soldiers were prepared.


	5. Crossing into Unknown Territory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake begins his adventure beyond Prospit's borders and into the unfamiliar, and slightly intimidating lands of Derse.

Jake rode alone to the border that separated Prospit from Derse. He gnawed on his lip anxiously, looking around. He half expected to be ambushed or kidnapped, but instead he only saw a small group waiting along the road. He recognised the red eyes and blond hair of Dirk’s guard, offering a small smile to the man, who bowed to him,

“Welcome to Derse, Jake. We will be your escort to the city.” Dave said before mounting his horse, the other four seemed to be soldiers, based on their armour, and they flanked him while the red-eyed one rode beside him, “Dirk is making the last preparations for your arrival, otherwise he would have come too.” Jake glanced at the man, wondering how he could speak so casually of his prince. Even Jane’s guard never spoke of her without her title.

“You seem… Close to the prince.” He ventured, and Dave smirked, turning those red eyes to Jake,

“Of course I am. Dirk’s my brother.” Jake’s mouth fell open, and he floundered for a response,

“O-oh.” He managed lamely, “Forgive me, Your Highness.” The man laughed, and Jake swore some of the soldiers snickered too,

“I’m just Captain of the Royal Guard. It’s seriously unlikely that I will ever be Crowned Prince.” Jake flushed, looking away. He really didn’t know anything about these people.

“Most of the royal family don’t call themselves prince or princess, just the one with the crown.” One soldier added, “They have different tasks and keep titles that befit their skills.” Jake glanced at the soldier, then back at Dave,

“How many are in your family?” He may as well learn about who he would be living with. Dave shrugged, tipping his head back,

“Nine, if we included mother and father. After they died, our oldest brother took the throne. He died keeping Alternia from claiming our land, never had any children, so it fell to our next oldest brother.” His eyes grew dark, and Jake got the feeling the memory was still fresh, “And now Dirk is Prince.” Jake looked down, gripping the reins of his horse a little tighter,

“I’m sorry for your loss.” He murmured, “It was… Hard when Jane’s father died.” Dave shook off his mood, straightening up,

“We can introduce you to the rest of the family when we arrive.” Jake glanced ahead, seeing the dark towers rising over the horizon. It looked imposing, as if made of obsidian, and Jake again felt apprehension rise in his chest. They rode in silence, and Jake was amazed to see the fields full of vegetation. The people working the fields paused to look up at him, their attention drawn to his bright golden clothes, though they did not stare long, going back to their work.

“How do you manage to keep the farms so full?” He asked, turning to Dave.

“We have our ways.” Dave replied vaguely, but didn’t explain further. Jake’s gaze was again drawn to the dark castle that loomed ahead. It wasn’t black, but a dark grey, it seemed. Houses they passed were made of the same dark stone. More people stopped to stare at Jake as they rode past, and he found himself self-conscious of choosing his royal regalia to wear. No one else wore bright colors, mostly blacks, browns, and greys. He stood out against the dark colors like a lone flame, and it made him regret his choice.

They crossed into the castle courtyard, the soldiers dismounting and leading their horses away. Dave got off as well, and Jake followed suit, allowing a stable hand to take his horse. Dave led him inside, and Jake marveled at the purple and silver banners. How such dark colors could look elegant, he didn’t know. Dave led him down a hall, and Jake tried to keep track of where they were going. Finally, the man opened a door, revealing a bedroom, a fire already burning to warm the chilly stones, the curtains a rich violet, and the bed adorned with purple and silver sheets.

“Wow.” He breathed, stepping in to look around. There were even a few books on a shelf. “This is amazing, thank you.” Dave smiled, leaning against the doorframe,

“Dirk thought you’d appreciate it. We’ll be sitting down to a meal, and we’d like you to join us.” Jake nodded, setting down the pack he’d brought with him, moving to follow Dave again. The halls branched all over the place, and Jake was dying to explore, but he had to focus on the current direction, entering a wide room with a long table in it. Four people were already seated at it, and Jake recognised Dirk at the head of the table. Food was spread across the table in generous piles on platters, and it smelled amazing. Jake sat at the opposite end from Dirk, and all eyes turned to him. Jake gulped a bit, looking at each of the blonds. Dirk himself had striking orange eyes, one of the women had lavender-colored eyes, while the other’s were a vibrant pink. The youngest had one red eye, one orange, and Jake couldn’t decide which was more unnerving, just giving an unsure smile.

“Thank you for joining us. Please, feel free to eat.” Dirk broke the silence, focusing on his own food again.

“So you’re our little sunshine guest!” The pink-eyed woman said, leaning forward with a wide grin, “Pretty cute, I’d say!” Jake blinked a bit, blushing and looking down at the table, taking some of the food to fill his plate.

“That’s my sister, Roxy.” Dirk explained, “She spends most of her time in the wilds helping on hunts or making sure no one crosses our borders unwelcomed.” Jake glanced up, offering a shy smile when she winked at him, “She also lacks some tact in certain situations.” That comment seemed to be directed at her, since she turned to stick her tongue out at her brother.

“I am Rose.” The other woman introduced herself, smiling gently, “I am glad to see my prediction was right.” Jake blinked, pausing mid-bite. Prediction? She chuckled softly, cutting some meat on her plate, “I get visions of the future now and then. I saw you leaving Prospit, and asked Dave to escort you.”

“Oh.” Jake didn’t know how to respond to that. She just smiled and went back to eating, and silenced returned around the clinking of silverware. Finally the young teen spoke up,

“I’m Hal.” He smiled a bit, “I don’t really do anything special yet. Dirk says I’m not old enough.” Jake nodded, unable to think of anything to say until he swallowed his mouthful,

“I’m Jake. I’m, uh… I’m the queen’s cousin.” Roxy seemed the most interested, her eyes going wide,but Dirk spoke before she could,

“Welcome to Derse. Should you need anything, please let us know.” Jake nodded, focusing on his food again. They ate in relative silence, and once Jake had his fill, he pushed his plate away, leaning back in his seat. Hal snickered quietly beside him,

“Jake’s got a baby.” He said, and Jake flushed, covering his stomach. He couldn’t help his body being so lean, making his stomach bulge when he ate a lot. Roxy snorted a laugh, grinning at Jake,

“Maybe he needs a nap to sleep it off.” She offered, giggling. Jake blushed even more, shrinking down,

“Roxy, leave him alone.” Dirk scolded, and she went quiet, pouting. Dirk stood, straightening his shirt, which Jake noticed was far simpler than what he had worn when visiting Prospit. Now Jake felt overdressed. “Jake,” He jumped, sitting up a little straighter when he was addressed, “please follow me. We need to discuss our first delivery.”

“R-right.” Jake got up and followed the prince, who looked almost half a head taller than him, now that he thought about it. He hated being short…


	6. Down to Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dirk has work to do now, and while Jake gets accustomed to his new surroundings, he must set plans into motion.

Dirk scrawled notes onto some parchment, watching where Jake pointed to on the map. He had fumbled a bit at first, but now he was easily describing which towns had the least food, where along the border had been the hardest to defend with their limited military force. Dirk scribbled another note, then set his quill down,

“Thank you, Jake. This will help greatly.” Jake relaxed, smiling a little, and Dirk stood up, “We’ll send the soldiers first, and then distribute supplies.” Jake smiled a little wider,

“Thank you, Your Highness.” He replied, clearly grateful. Dirk just smiled a little in return,

“No need to be so formal. Please, call me Dirk.” Jake hesitated, then nodded,

“Right. Thank you, Dirk.” Dirk nodded, escorting him out of the room.

“Feel free to explore the castle, if you like. It may seem a bit labyrinthine, but you’ll get the hang of it with practice.” Jake nodded and walked off to explore while Dirk went to talk with his soldiers, directing them to the points of Prospit that were the most vulnerable. As they left, Dirk went into town to talk to his merchants. They were hesitant about helping Prospit, but agreed the shared crop would help in the long run, and conceded. He continued to wander town, talking with his people and catching up with them. He had often visited the town before he was crowned, and he wasn’t about to abandon that habit just because he had to wear a crown now and then. His people were friendly and enjoyed sharing their stories and troubles with him. He felt it gave him a better perspective on what they needed.

As he headed back to the castle, a crow flew by his head, and he stopped, offering his arm to the bird. It fluttered onto the perch, looking at him with one eye, then the other before squawking in its gravelly voice.

“Good to see you.” Dirk replied, carrying the bird into the castle courtyard and settling on a bench in the garden, “How have you been?” The crow ruffled its feathers and smoothed them again, turning its head to survey the area before opening its beak again,

“As well as I can. Saw your soldiers marching on Prospit, what’s that about?” Its voice was as rough as its caw, but Dirk was used to it.

“They aren’t going to attack, if that’s what you’re worried about. Prospit is having issues with Alternia, so we’ve made an agreement to help them.” The bird eyed him skeptically, but raised its wings a little in a bird’s imitation of a shrug,

“The trolls have been getting kind of pushy.” It squawked, “They’ve been prowling the border more and more, and I’ve heard their empress is getting greedy.” Dirk sighed, shaking his head,

“Wonderful. More on my plate to worry about.” The crow made an odd laughing sound, walking sideways up Dirk’s arm to his shoulder,

“Focus on your new friends. We’ll keep an eye on the trolls.” Dirk smiled, nodding. It was good to know the crows were willing to help.

“Any news of our other borders?” The bird shrugged again,

“Nothing nearly as interesting. The shell-people have yet to end their stalemate.” Dirk couldn’t help the pitying smile,

“Maybe someday they will come to an agreement.” The crow gave him a look, and he met the black eye steadily,

“You really think that? These two have been at war since your brothers were hatchlings. No one is going to win.”

“Dirk?” The prince turned his head the other way, finding Jake staring at him like he’d grown a second head, “Are you… Talking to a bird?” The crow ruffled its feathers a little, offended, but Dirk just shrugged,

“They have interesting things to say. Perhaps we could teach you to hear what they talk about.” Jake’s features twitched with a grimace, and he raised his hands defensively,

“I… No, thank you. I’m not sure I want to know.” Dirk shrugged again, wincing when the crow smacked him with a wing while taking off into the air. He dropped his arm, rubbing his face a little as he watched it leave,

“Rude.” He muttered, getting up, “So, what do you think of the castle?” Jake shrugged distractedly, glancing away,

“It’s, uh… Interesting.” He offered lamely, “Certainly more… Confusing than Prospit. Lots of going in circles.” Dirk moved closer, smiling a bit,

“Yes, our father said it had to be built that way for some reason. Never explained why.” Jake still looked hesitant, but said nothing, and Dirk sighed, “You think we’re something unnatural. Inhuman.” Jake started, his eyes going wide,

“Wha- No! I’m just- just… Not familiar with your customs!” He floundered, and Dirk set his hands behind his back,

“Prospit’s former king believed we could summon demons. It’s one of the main reasons the two cut off from each other. It would not surprise me if he told Jane outlandish stories of witches and monsters living in Derse.” He glanced at Jake, who tried to avoid meeting his eye, “Does that sound accurate?” Jake’s shoulders fell, and he fiddled with his sleeve,

“I… I’m sorry… It’s hard not to think about it…” Dirk sighed and offered his hand,

“Let’s go inside. We can talk about this a little more.” Jake glanced at him, then took his hand, following silently. Dirk led him up through the castle to a room with one wide circular table in the center, and a scattering of chairs and soft places to sit. As he’d guessed, the rest of his family was here, entertaining themselves.

“Hello, Dirk.” Rose said, not looking up from her book, “How was your walk?”

“Busy. A lot of news.” He replied, leading Jake to a comfortable armchair, where the dark-haired man sat. Dirk found himself a spot near Hal, who had found their childhood block set and was stacking them precariously, “We need to go over some things with Jake.” Dave looked up from papers on the table, raising an eyebrow, and Roxy moved away from the fireplace to take up a seat near Jake,

“About what?” She asked, clearly curious and eager,

“About magic.” Rose slipped a bookmark between her pages and shut the book, finally regarding their guest,

“And this is because…?”

“He saw me talking to one of the crows.” Rose nodded, sitting up a little straighter,

“Very well. Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?”


End file.
